Ex-officials jailed over dredger purchase

Breaking News November 04, 2015 18:37

By Kesinee Tangkhiao
The Nation

The Supreme Court Wednesday handed down a two-year jail term against seven former officials of the Marine Department, including its former director-general, for abuse of authority related to dredger procurement.

Relatives of the defendants broke into tears inside the courtroom upon hearing the final verdict, which ended the years-long saga.

Convicted in the dredger case were Jong-arch Pothisunthorn, former director-general of the Marine Department, the department’s former deputy director-general Second Lt Sanchai Kulpreecha, and five other former officials at the department: Second Lt Prawej Rakphan, Ittipon Kanjanakij, Danai Sripitak, Second Lt Wichet Pongthongjarern, and Panya Songjarern.

The crimes took place between 1998 and 2001, during which they had to examine products submitted by the supplier, Ellicott Company Limited, in the Bt2-billion contract to procure three cutter-suction dredgers for the department.

The Supreme Court found that all seven defendants played a role in the examination and amending of the contract in favour of the supplier. Ellicott was unable to deliver the dredgers within the time frame mentioned in the initial contract.